– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 March 1955.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt
, Birmingham Aston
12:00,
24 March 1955
asked the Prime Minister how far the text of the recent correspondence between himself and Mr. Molotov, now published by the Soviet Government, is a correct and complete version of the exchanges between himself and the Soviet Government on the subject of talks between political heads of States; and whether the Soviet Government asked his permission before publication.
Mr Winston Churchill
, Woodford
Sir, I am informed that the Russian text of the correspondence as published in the Soviet Press is complete and correct. In view of the very full statement I thought it my duty to give the House on this matter, I think Mr. Molotov was fully justified in publishing the full text without further communication with me, and I am quite content that he should do so.
Mr Woodrow Wyatt
, Birmingham Aston
Was it not very wrong of the Prime Minister to make a premature disclosure of confidential letters with the Russians, because is it not the case that if we disapprove of anything he might have written in a private letter he would only lose his job, whereas the men in the Kremlin stand to lose their heads? Is it not very inhibiting to future private exchanges if they feel they cannot rely upon us not to reveal them when we think fit?
Mr Winston Churchill
, Woodford
I am surprised that the hon. Gentleman should use Question Time for making offensive imputations on the Soviet Government.
Mrs Barbara Castle
, Blackburn East
asked the Prime Minister if he will publish a white paper giving the full text of the exchange of letters between himself and Mr. Molotov in 1954 dealing with his proposal for high-level talks.
Mr Winston Churchill
, Woodford
I shall be very happy, if the hon. Member desires it, to send her a copy of the white paper which was issued on Monday and has been available in the Vote Office ever since. I know she has had other serious preoccupations lately.
Mrs Barbara Castle
, Blackburn East
Having read the white paper which the right hon. Gentleman had published since I tabled my Question, may I ask him what it was that led him to change his mind about the value of personal contacts between him and Mr. Malenkov last year? Can he tell us whether it was that his colleagues in the Cabinet vetoed the proposal or was it that the United States Government raised objections?
Mr Winston Churchill
, Woodford
I have not changed my mind at all about the value of personal contacts. I have, however, to think about their timeliness.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
A document issued by the Government laying out its policy, or proposed policy, on a topic of current concern.Although a white paper may occasion consultation as to the details of new legislation, it does signify a clear intention on the part of a government to pass new law. This is a contrast with green papers, which are issued less frequently, are more open-ended and may merely propose a strategy to be implemented in the details of other legislation.
More from wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_paper
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
